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Eraserhead

As our film heritage becomes more and more digitized, it is harder and harder for audiences to see important films in the manner in which they were originally meant to be presented: in a theater, on film, with an audience. Film History 101 is our modest attempt to keep this tradition alive. Once a month, we'll present a selection that transcends "classic" status to that of "essential"—films that are widely recognized as among the greatest the art of moving pictures has to offer.

This debut film by David Lynch (made, astonishingly, when he was a student at the American Film Institute) launched the director as a major new talent, singlehandedly created the phenomenon/genre of “midnight movies,” and remains a milestone in personal, independent filmmaking. It’s a surreal nightmare exploring male paranoia that sees the title character (played by the memorably coiffed Jack Nance) struggle to negotiate his wage-slave job, relations with the opposite sex, sinister hallucinations (often involving his radiator), mutant offspring, and, most terrifying of all, his in-laws. (97 mins., 35mm)

In this screening we reunite Eraserhead with Asparagus, the animated short, directed by Suzan Pitt, that was its original midnight movie partner. (19 mins, 35mm)